10 Ways To Put Your Best Foot Forward In Your Relationship

How to be your best in a relationship, whether it's brand-new or old and comfortable.

There's a reason people talk about "letting themselves go" in long-term relationships. It happens—and your physical appearance isn't even the worst part.

We start dating with the best intentions, taking care to be our best selves. Then we get comfortable and complacent. You can blame your partner ("You love me too much just the way I am!") or you can commit to making sure you keep working to earn that long-term affection. The good news? You already know how to do it. It's probably what you did when you first started dating, the course of action that sealed the deal. Here are 10 ways to put your best foot forward in your relationship—and to keep moving.

1. Don't expect your partner to be the sole source of your happiness. YourTango recently polled 700+ readers about what makes them feel attractive and confident, and how this affects their love lives. Ninety percent said that feeling attractive influences their relationship happiness, and 89 percent agreed that a lack of confidence in one or both partners is bound to cause problems for a couple. But the key to a healthy self-esteem isn't to ensure your main squeeze compliments you on a daily basis—it's doing the things you need to do to feel attractive and confident, like eating right and exercising, which our respondents listed as the #1 way to feeling sexy and confident. 16 Ways Feeling Irresistible Benefits Your Relationship

2. Ask questions. In the early days of a relationship, asking questions shows a genuine interest in getting to know someone. And that interest doesn't need change months or years later. You can't possibly know everything about your partner--he's a work in progress! YourTango Expert Ruthann McCaffree, a life transition coach and the author of the book Suddenly Single: A Guide for Rediscovering Life After Tragic Loss, says, "Stay interested in each other by asking questions beyond 'What did you do today?' Try 'What was the best part of your day? Why?'"